Bustle



I (No Model!) 3' Sheets Sheet 1.

PM. JEFFERY.

BUSTLE.

'Patenggad Mar.- 6

INV'ENTQRI Attorney.

WITNESSES:

3 Shets-Shet 2.

(N0 Model.)

F. M. JEFFERY.

BUSTLE.

Patented Mar. 6, 1888.

I N VE NTOR 2 .Jtforncy.

Fig-.5

WITNESSES:

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet s.

P. M. JBFPERY.

BUSTLE. No. 378,964. Patented Ma1a6, 1888'.

INVENTOR:

WITNESSES: g

.Attorney.

NITE TATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK M. JEFFERY," OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

BUSTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,964, dated March 6,1888.

Application filed October 27, 1887. Serial No. 253,528. g (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. JEFFERY, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Jersey City, Hudson county, New Jersey, have inventedcertain-new and useful Improvements in Bustles and in Springs Adaptedfor Distending Same, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of bustles wherein torsion-springsare employed for distending the bustle; and the distinguishingcharacteristic of my invention lies in the peculiar construction andarrangement of the torsion-springs employed.

My invention will be fully described hereinafter, and its novel featurescarefully defined in the claims.

In the drawings,which serve to illustrate my invention, I have shown itembodied in several forms of bustles.

Figures 1, 2, 2, and 2" illustrate the application of my invention to abustle wherein the bows are all hinged on a common hinge-axis, Fig. 1'being a plan of the bustle, Fig. 2 a section of same on line 2 2 in Fig.1, and Fig. 2 a perspective view of the torsion-spring detached. Fig. 2illustrates another mode of arranging the spring. Figs. 3 and 3illustrate another form of the bustle, wherein plain wire is employedfor the bows, Fig. 3 being a perspective view of the bustle, and Fig. 3aview of the torsion-spring detached. Figs. 4 and 4 illustrate a bustleof another form embodying my invention, Fig. 4 being a sectionalelevation similar to Fig. 2, and Fig. 4. illustrating a modification ofthe construction shown in Fig. 4:. This figure (4) shows a long or deepbustle provided with my spring. This spring is precisely like thatillustrated in Fig. 1 and extends across the bustle from side to side.Fig. at is a fragmentary detail view.

I will first describe the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 2These viewsrepresent a bustle having bows A A made from what is known astwin-wire fabric, hinged on common hingeaxes a. a in a well-knownmanner, strained by a strip of webbing, b, provided with a buckle andconnected by a flexible strip, 0.

B represents the usual belt for attaching the bustle to the waist of thewearer.

So far as described, the bustle presents no especially novel features.It may be collapsed by upward pressure on the lower bow, the bowsclosing together and up to the upright bow.

To keep the bows distended normally and elastically, I employ apeculiarly-constructed compound torsion-spring, 0. (Shown detached inFig. 2 This spring comprises two like torsion-springs of wire, arrangedside by side, but in relatively-reversed positions. For convenience ofdescription I have lettered one of these springs dand the other d inFig. 2, and have distinguished the corresponding parts of each by addingthe character X to those of spring d Spring d has two arms, bent inopposite or different directions, on its ends, and spring (1 has twoarms, e 6*, bent in opposite or different directions on its ends. Infact the two springs are alike in form, and they are tied together orconnected loosely together by a tube, f, slipped over them before thearms 6 e are bent thereon. This tube is only designed to keep thesprings in place, and it does not bind them tightly. In Fig. 2 said tubeis shown partly broken away to expose the inclosed springs. On the endsof the arms e e are formed loops or eyes gg, and these eyes engage andturn on studs or rivets h it (see Fig. 2) in the terminal or outer bowsof the bustle and keep the latter distended.

By inspection of Fig. 2 it will be seen that the arms 6 e of the spring0 stand normally, when not under tension, nearly opposite to each other,or, substantially, one hundred and eighty degrees apart; but when undernormal tension in the bustle, as seen in Fig. 2, they stand less thanninety degrees apart, under which condition they exert a veryconsiderable distending strain on the bows of the bustle. In bending thearms on the ends of the springs they may, if desired, be bent oppositelyto each other, or at any angle that will put them under proper tensionwhen in place. The body parts of the spring-wires d d, in which thetorsion is produced, extend across the In Fig. 2", which is aperspective view of a bustle with the bows partly broken away, A

A represent the bows or the hinging ends thereof, and O thetorsion-spring. In this construction the springs d d pass througheyelets or holes in the bows at the hinging points (6 a and form thehingingpivots. The arms a 0 extend up along the terminal bows and aresecured thereto at their ends in some suitable manner, as by means ofspangles k 7;. To keep the springs (1 cl together, and to add strength,also, to the spring, I employ a third spring or wire, (1, which liesalongside of the other two, is coiled snugly around them at f, justinside the bows, and has its oppositelybent arms 0 attached one to theupright terminal bow at one side and the other to the horizontalterminal bow on the other side. In the figure some of the spring-armsare indicated by dotted lines only.

I will now describe the form of bustle illustrated in Figs. 3 and 3.This bustle is made from plain wire, and the upright bow A has its lowerends bent back and forth, so as to form parallel hinge-bearings a", toreceive hingingcoils a on the ends of the several bows A. These coils aare not springs, but simply elongated hinge-eyes, which loosely embracetheir bearings a The bows are connected by a strip or strips, 0, usuallyof tape or webbing. Fig. 3 shows the torsion-spring O, for distendingthe bustle. This spring is substantially the same as that shown in Fig.2, except in these respects: Instead of eyes formed on the ends of armsa 0, these latter are made to couple below to the lower bow A at thepoints it", and above to one of the hinge-bearings a, as seen in Fig. 3;also, in lieu of a tube for connecting the springs d d', as shown inFig. 2, I employ two short sleeves or coils of wire, as f formedseparately from the springs. Any simple connecting device may beemployed for this purpose. I have shown three such devices in Figs. 2, 2and 3.

bis a lacing-cord for straining the bustle. This cord is passed throughthe bights formed in the bends at the lower part of bow A.

I will now describe the form of bustle illustrated in Figs. 4 and 4..These views show the application of my torsionIdistending-spring O to along or deep bustle.

E represents one of two upright strips of broad stout webbing, onearranged at each side of the bustle to form a support for the ends ofthe bows.

A A are the horizontal projecting bows made from twin wire fabric andsecured at their opposite ends to the broad side strips, E, each by tworivets, eyelets, or other suitable fastening devices.

A is the upright bow of the bustle, secured at its ends to the upperends of the strips E and to the uppermost bow A.

A A are intermediate bows hinged to the upper bow A. All the bows areconnected by a flexible strip, 0.

The flexibility of the side strips, E, allows the bows to collapseupward, either by direct upward pressure, the bows A remaining sub- Itmay sometimes be desirable to add an auxiliary bow to the bottom of thebustle, as that lettered A in Fig. 4, in which case I employ a smallcoil spring, 0", one at each side of the bustle, to properly distend itbelow the springs G. This spring is a simple coil with its ends orbranches attached in the same manner as are those of springs O.

In Fig. 4, which is a fragmentary elevation, I have shown crossed chainsE in lieu of the flexible side strips, E. Any suitable flexible materialproviding two attaching points for the bow may be employed for thispurpose.

By attaching the ends of the spring-arms to the bows between the rivetsor clips by which the bows are attached, the spring serves to hold thestrips E rigidly distended and the bows A A'projecting out therefrom, aswill be understood.

In Fig. 4, If represents one of the lacingfiies of the bustle, such asare usually employed. The flies are attached to the side strips, E, bymeans of stiff metallicangle-elips j j. In Fig. 4 which is an enlargedsectional detail view designed to illustrate the manner of employingthis clip j, E is the side strip, (seen in cross section,) A is one ofthe bows of the bustle, b is the lacing-fly, and j is one of the clipsfor securing the fly to the side strip and bow. The clip is cut orstamped from sheet metal and provided with a hole at each end to receivethe attaching rivets or eyelets, and then bent to the angular formshown. In Fig. 4 I have shown one of these clips at the end of each bowA, and secured by one of the rivets or eyelets that secure the bow tothe side strip, E. The clip is interposed between the end of the bow andthe person of the wearer, and the fly extends or may extend laterallybeyondthe side of the bustle, so as to be interposed between the elipand the person of the wearer. This clip forms an economical andconvenient means of connecting the fly I) to the bustle, and it may beused on any bustle having an upright side frame to which the fly issecured.

Of course the torsion-spring C may be made of more than two wires wherea stiffer spring is required; but I find that two or three steel wireswill suffice for an ordinary bustle.

IVhen the spring is applied to a bustle, it is not material whether thearms project outward, as in Fig. 2", or inward, as in Figs. 1 and 2, andthe wire of the spring may have any form of cross-seetionround, square,&c. Thin flat steel may be used for the bows in lieu of plain or twinwire. Any ordinary material may be used.

I do not desire to be understood as broadly claiming a torsional springof wire with an arm bent on its end. Such springs have been heretoforeemployed, though not, so far as I am aware, for distending a bustle. Myspring has these characteristics, namely: It has a body composed of twoor more connected wires, and each wire has two armsone on each endbentin opposite directions. These arms are attached at their free ends tothe bows or frames of the bustle in such a manner as to distend thebustle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a bustle, thecombination, with the bows and with a connector that limits theirdistention,'ofatorsionaldistending-spring consisting of two or moresprings which have main or body portions loosely connected and extendingacross the bustle, and at the opposite ends of these main portionsacting-arms, the arms of each spring being bent in different directionsand attached at their free ends to the bows of the bustle, whereby thelateral expansibility of the series of bows is limited by the length ofthe said torsional spring, substantially as set forth.

2. In a bustle, the combination, with the bows and a flexible connectorthat limits their distention, ofatorsional distending-spring consistingof two or more springs which have main or body portions looselyconnected and extending across the bustle, and at the opposite ends ofthese main portions acting-arms, the arms of each spring being bent indifferent directions and attached at their free ends to the bows of thebustle, said springs being arranged within the hollow of the bustle withtheir several arms directed forward, substantially as set forth.

3. In a bustle, the combination, with the flexible side strips, as E, ofthe projecting bows, as A, each end of which is attached to said stripsat two points, as described, the torsional distendingspringG, arrangedin the hollow of the bustle and having the free ends of its armsattached to the respective bows A between the points of attachment ofthe bows to the side strips, and means for attaching the bustle to theperson of the wearer, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the flexible side strips, as E, of a bustle,the projecting bows, as A A, attached at their ends to said strips, thetorsional distending-springs, as 0, arranged as described, and means forattaching the bustle to the person of the wearer, of the lower bow, asA, and the coiled distending-springs O substantially as set forth.

In witness'whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANK M. J EFFERY. Witnesses:

HENRY CONNETT, J. D. OAPLINGER.

